Are you curious about Rotary's Community and International Service Projects?

Please come to this presentation and learn what Rotarians are doing in the Greater Boston area and how you can participate!

This annual visit of the District Governor is always exciting! What a great opportunity to meet 2018-19 DG, Bob Wood, and learn first-hand what projects are going on in our area and around the world!

The Public and members of Rotary are invited to this free meeting! No RSVP necessary. Refreshments will be served.

This joint meeting, hosted by the Boston and Cambridge Rotary Clubs, will take place at the Central Square Branch Library, 45 Pearl Street, Cambridge, MA 02139 on Thursday, September 27 from 5:30PM - 7:30PM

I thought I would offer a community update. As you know through the news and Rotary District emails, many families in the area will remain impacted as we face a new week ahead.

Red Cross shelters in North Andover and Lawrence are in place, and as many of you know, I'm a Red Cross board member and Disaster volunteer. I've been working the North Andover High School shelter for the last 2 evenings.

You may be wondering how you can help our community members, some of whom are Rotarians.

1. Donate to the GoFundMe page provided in the District emails. (see link below)

2. Donate to the Red Cross.

3. Stay tuned to your email. In the next couple of days a district wide initiative will be announced whereby you can partake.

4. Thank you neighborhood First Responders, such as Police, Fire, and Emergency personnel, who came from near and far and have been responding to this incident 24 hours a day, just as the Red Cross has also.

Should you know someone impacted and they are not sure what to do, encourage them to go to one of the shelters. Red Cross team members are getting first hand updates and will be able to help them with, food, shelter, information, medical care/how do I get my meds? etc...

Reach out to me as well should you have questions.Yours in Rotary

Lori Karas

President, Rotary Club of Boston #7

First, I would like to express my thanks to all of you who have contacted the Clubs in the towns and cities involved, and to me, to offer assistance in this time of need. I have been in contact with all three Presidents of Andover, Lawrence and North Andover and want to assure you that they, at the moment, are doing everything in their power to provide service where needed.

Both Brian Fraser, North Andover, and Marc Gillette, Andover, tell me that their Clubs have spent the last 48 hours running supplies to the shelters that have been set up in the three communities. Local assessments are still being made. The American Red Cross is firmly in place at the shelters, offering services, shuttle buses to folks that have not been able to get to their homes to get medications, check on the house, etc. Unfortunately, there are still many people that have not been allowed back.into their homes.

I just wanted you to know that while the District is ready, willing and able to assist in any way, we must wait until the local needs assessments have been made, and wait until the three "boots on the ground" tell us how we can best help.

I thank you for your patience. Please be assured I will let you know how we can be of service as soon as that comes to light. There is a GoFundMe page, started by Marc Gillette and it can be located at

All proceeds will go to fire victims to help them either rebuild, refurnish or start a new life.

I am thankful, though sad, that there was only one casuaty. Susan and I send our thoughts and prayers to those in need at this hour and patiently await direction from the folks that actually know what may be needed.

New Jersey Rotarians funded a Gift of Life project but they needed "feet on the street" in Boston to welcome 3 medical doctors from Vietnam. Lan, Hung and Quyen came to participate in a 30-day observation program at Children's Hospital. Rotarians in Boston and Brookline provided friendship and a variety of services, like airport transportation, settling them into rental housing, food shopping, and including them in sight seeing and social events. See more photos below.